Process and machine for producing rods for tobacco filters



K. SCHANZ Sept'.v 23, 1958 Filed Aug. :5. 1955 2,852,987 Patented Sept.23, 1958 PROCESS AND MACHINE FUR PRODUCING RODS FOR TOBACCO FILTERS KarlSchanz, Eislingen (Fils), Germany, assigner to Papierfahrik Fleischer G.m. b. H., Eislingen (Fils), Wurttemberg, Germany Application August 3,1953, Serial No. 372,066

Claims priority, application Germany August 6, 1952 12 Claims. (Cl.9.3-1)

This invention relates to a machine and a method for producing rods fortobacco smoke filters, especially for cigarettes and the like as well asfor other uses.

It is an object of the invention to produce sheet or strip of materialat least in a single layer as for example a silk-like paper and which ispressed and cut into narrow strip form which is crimped to form awool-like band in the exact cross section of the filter mass desired tobe produced. Thus a wool strip of paper like material is produced whichis fibrous if desired. It is, therefore,

' a further object of the invention to produce not only a lter materialof wool form but also to process the wool into a rod or strip having thedesired diameter or cross section of the finished filter object orelement. In this way it is possible to produce a filter having a uniformdensity of the filter wool so that when the rod of formed material iscut into the desired filter cartridges, each individual cartridge hasthe same characteristics. In this way it is possible to produce uniformcartridge filters having the same density for each individual cartridge.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of awool band or rod to be installed as a continuous element to be providedin an automatic coincontrolled machine of any known design to dispensefilter cartridges into a paper shell or the like. The machine may bedesigned to dispense only long lter rods or it may be so arranged todispense filter cartridges or rods of short length cut as desired.

It is `another object of the invention to provide a process in which thepaper material may be fed continuously from a strip of material wound ona roll or the paper material may be fed from a supply source insections. The paper material has a suiiicient porosity so that thefinished Wool filter may be compressed into the desired density. Anydesired material may be chosen to manufacture the filter wool.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine for producinglter cartridges in which stripping means are provided between thecutting discs of the cutting rollers and associated with a pair offorwarding rollers. The relative rotation of the forwarding or conveyingrollers and the cutting rollers is adjustable and may be adjustedrelative to the desired corrugations to be worked into the band.

Further objects will be apparent from the following descriptionwhenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the machine for producing thefilter rod, and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine.

The paper supply rolls 1, 3 and 5 are suitably mounted on a machineframe, not shown, which is preferably tissue paper and rotatable onshafts 2, 4 and 6 respectively. T he webs withdrawn from the rolls 1 and3 unite into a single combined strip or web 7 which is drawn over atable or plate 8, whereas the web or strip 9 from the roll is pulledover another table or plate 10. The web 7 travels between the cutting orcreasing rollers 11 and 12 which alternately project into each other bymeans of cutting blades. Between the cutting blades or discs of theroller 11 strip removing means or strippers 13 are provided and betweenthe blades of the roller 12 there is a similar removing means orstrippers 14. The

removing means prevent the cut strips from being carried along betweenthe rotating cutting rollers. The web 9 is pulled over the table 10between two rollers 15 and 16 corresponding to rollers 11 and 12,between which cutting discs the stripping means 17 and 18 project.

A` pair of conveying rollers 19 and 20 are provided spaced from thecutting rollers 11 and 12 and from the stripping means 13 and 14 in thedirection of feed of the strip 7. The relationship of the rate ofrotation of the rollers 19 and 20 relative to the rotation of thecutting rollers 11 and 12 may be regulated and may for example be so setthat the cut strips from the rollers 19 and 20 may be held back. Aspecific crimping will be attained by the feed of the cut strips on thestripping off device, in dependence on what is attained by the rollers19 and 20. It is preferable that the rotational speed of the rollers 19and 20 is regulatable. Behind the cutting point of the band 9 formed bythe -rollers 15 and 16 there are provided rollers 21 and 22 whichcorrespond to 19 and 20. The fiber or wool-like band 23 issuing frombetween the rollers 21 and 22 is conveyed further over a conveyor belt24 and joins the ber or wool-like band 25 issuing from between therollers 19 and 20, to form a common wool band 26. The band 26 is fedinto a trough or basin 27 and runs along upper part of a conveyor band2S which is driven by a drive pulley 29. Over the band 28 formingrollers 30 and 31 are provided] which project into the trough andtogether with the conveyor band form a rod or strip 32 from the band 26.This takes place inthe example shown due to the conveyor band 33supporting and conveying the strip 32 to a trough 34 in which it isconveyed with the aid of the forming rollers 35 and 36 and thereafter iswound with paper. The thus formed filter rod is cut into short lengthsto thus form the filter cartridges.

The various movable parts of the machine are driven from a commondriving wheel or pulley 37 from any suitable motor and the like, notshown, so that the various parts will move in the proper relationship.

The forming of the filter wool into rods can be carried out with variousmodied parts as for example by guide troughs having converging sides.The materials of which the filter wool is produced may be treated withvarious chemical substances as desired which effect the tobacco smoke invarious ways. Also the filter wool may be sprayed with various chemicalsdepending upon the results desired. Likewise the` completed filter rodor the filter cartridges themselves may be saturated with variousdesired chemicals. The filter rods and cartridges are not necessarilylimited in use to be associated with tobacco products such as cigarettesbut may be used as filters for various other purposes.

The filter wool may be made in any desired color and may be treated toemit any desired smell or taste.

It is also possible within the scope of the invention to Vinclude asmany cutting and conveying rollers as desired and also the direction ofmovement of the material may be directed in any direction ordirections.. It is also possible to vary the density of the lter wool.

I claim as my invention:

l. A machine for producing tobacco smoke filters and the like comprisingmeans for feeding a strip material from a roll, cooperating cuttingrollers to cut the strip material into narrow Widths, each cuttingroller having a plurality of adjacent cutting discs, a stripping devicefor each tWo adjacent cutting discs, a conveying means in the form of anendless band which in the upper run of the band vassumes 1- thevform -ofa vtrough -toimpart `a preliminary compression to the strips ofmaterial, and means mounted above the band and projecting into thetrough-to lfurther lcompress the 'strips'of material and nallylform theminto a rod.

-2.1A5machine 'according toclaim 1, in ywhich means are provided toadjust the `speed of the conveyor band anda cooperating'roller relativeto theV speed of the cuttingrollers.

'3. -A machine'for producing tobacco smoke lters and thelike comprisingmeans for feeding a strip material from `a roll, cooperating cuttingrollers to cut the strip material vinto narrow widths, each cuttingroller having a plurality of adjacent cutting discs, astripping deviceforeach two "adjacent cutting discs, a conveying means in the form of anendless band which in the upper run ofthe band assumes the form of atrough to impart a preliminary compression to the strips vof material,and means mounted above the band and projecting into the trough tofurther compress the strips of material and nally form them into a rod,the last-mentioned means being in the form of at least one roller.

4. A machine for producing tobacco smoke lters and the like comprisingmeans for feeding a strip material from a roll, cooperating cuttingrollers to cut the strip material into narrow widths, each cuttingroller having a plurality of adjacent cutting discs, a stripping devicefor each two adjacent cutting discs, a conveying means in the form of apair of spaced endless bands following one after the other and eachhaving its upper run assuming the form of a trough to impart apreliminary compression of the strips of material as to the beltadjacent the cutting rollers, and means mounted above the bands andprojecting into the troughs thereof to further compress the -strips ofmaterial and finally form them into a r'od.

e5. A machine for producing tobacco smoke lters and the like comprisingmeans for feeding a strip material from a roll, -cooperating cuttingrollers to cut the strip material into narrow widths, each cuttingroller 'having a plurality `of adjacent cutting discs, a strippingdevice for each two adjacent cutting discs, a conveying means in theform of a pair of spaced endless bands following one after the other andeach having its upper run assuming the form of a trough to impart apreliminary compression of the strips of material as to the beltadjacent the cutting rollers, and means in the form of a pair of'rollersmounted above each band and projecting into the troughs thereof tofurther compressthe strips of material and finally form them into a rod.

6. A method for producing filter rods particularly for tobacco smokefilters for cigarettes comprising feeding material in'sheet form in atleast one layer and cutting such sheet material continuouslyinto aplurality of narrow llongitudinal strips, crimping the strips of`material against the direction of movement of the strips immediatelyafter-the cutting of the sheet material into strips to such an extent toproduce a wool-like eece of the material, and compressing and shapingsaid fieece to form a ileece rod of circular cross section and of adiameter approximately equal to the `diameter of the cigarette andwrapping the rod in a paper sheet.

7. A method for producing lter rods particularly for tobacco smokefilters for cigarettes comprisingifeeding material in sheet form in atleast one layer and cutting such sheet material continuously into aplurality of narrow longitudinal strips, crimping the strips of materialagainst the direction of movement of the strips immediately after thecutting of the sheet material into strips, to such an extent to producea wool-like fleece, vcompressing and shaping said fleece to form a leecerod of circular cross section and of a diameter approximately equal tothe diameter of the cigarette and wrapping the red in a paper sheet, andcutting the wrapped rod into the desired cartridge lengths.

8. A method for producing lter rods particularlyfor tobacco smokeiilters for cigarettes comprising feeding a plurality of sheets ofmaterial and cutting each sheet into a plurality of narrow strips,crimping the strips of material against the direction of movement of thestrips immediately afterthe cutting of the sheet material into strips tosuch an extent to produce a wool-like eece, compressing and shaping saidfleece to form a fleece rod of circular cross section and of a diameterapproximately equalto the diameter of the cigarette.

9. A method according to claim 8, in which the cornpressing and shapingof the crimped strips takes place first laterally and then from the topdownwardly.

l0. A method for producing filter rods particularly for tobacco smokeiilters for cigarettes comprising feeding a plurality of sheets ofmaterial and cutting each sheet into a plurality of narrow strips,crimping the strips of material against the direction of movement of thestrips immediately after the cutting of the sheet material into stripsto such an extent to produce a woollike fleece, compressing and shapingsaid fleece to forma iieece'rod of circular cross section and of adiameter approximately equal to the diameter of the cigaretteandwrapping the rod with a paper sheet and cutting the wrapped rod into'the desired cartridge lengths.

l1. A machine for producing tobacco smoke filters and the likecomprising a plurality of rolls for feeding sheet material from eachroll, cooperating cutting -rollers for each sheet material to cut thesheet material into narrow widths, each cutting roller having aplurality of adjacent cutting discs, a stripping device for each pair ofcutting cooperating rollers to crimp each strip of material, a conveyingmeans in the form of an endless band which in its upper run of the bandassumes the form of a trough to impart a preliminary compression to allthe strips of material, and means mounted above the band and projectinginto the trough to further compress the strips of material and nallyform them into a rod.

12. A machine according to claim 1l, in which means are provided toadjust the speed of the conveyor band and a cooperating roller relativeto the speed of the cutting rollers.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS2,039,298 Davidson May 5, 1936 2,202,843 Edwards June 4, 1940 2,221,443Davidson Nov. 12, 1940 2,621,567 Lee Dec. 16, 1952 2,786,399 Mason etal. Mar. 26, 1957

